Man charged with illegal firearm possession

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - United States Attorney Matt M. Dummermuth announced today that Thomas Horton, age 26, has been arrested on a charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charge is contained in an Indictment filed on September 24, 2008, in United States District Court in Cedar Rapids.

The Indictment alleges that, on or about February 8, 2008, Horton knowingly possessed a revolver after he had been convicted of a felony in Illinois and a felony in Wisconsin.

If convicted, Horton faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment, and 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

Horton appeared today in federal court in Cedar Rapids and was held without bond. Horton's trial is set for February 9, 2009.

As with any criminal case, a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Bob Teig as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a cooperative local, state, and federal program aimed at the enhanced prosecution of gun crimes. The case was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.